The row of restaurants, cafes and shops along the Alameda is home to a few Santa Clara favorites, like Voyager or Ike’s, and is no stranger to grand openings. As we cautiously await the fourth restaurant in four years at the former location of El Amigo Cafe, Alameda BBQ and Asadero, CAFFE:iN, a new boba spot, has taken over the former Tea Plus and is looking to cement itself in the seemingly volatile area.

Coming from the East Coast where boba is nowhere near as popular, I never understood the hype. After passing the “Grand Opening” sign too many times to count on my routine Ike’s trips, I figured it was about time to give it a go.

I recruited my roommate, EJ, who is well-versed in the world of boba, and we began the five-minute stroll to the Alameda.

Students enjoy sweet treats in the newly opened boba hot spot. *Amy Suh*

Upon entering CAFFE:iN, which is furnished with a handful of tables closely packed into the small storefront, we instantly felt its calm and intimate vibe. The only patrons were a lone student quietly working on their laptop and a small group talking over some boba and fries–a relatively slow time of day, judging by the traffic reports on their Yelp page.

Before ordering, we quickly browsed the menu where, to my surprise, we found a lengthy list of food options alongside the plethora of drinks they offer. The food ranged from Ramly burgers and popcorn chicken to curry fish balls and takoyaki, alongside several desserts such as creme brulee toast and mango crepes.

We ended up ordering taro and strawberry milk teas as well as some spicy popcorn chicken and “Shake Shack fries.” The milk teas were just over $5 each, and the food totaled up to around $15, which seemed reasonable given the proportions and quality.

Our drinks were brought to our table five minutes later, and I was introduced to the ceremonious straw stab that begins every boba experience.

With my first sip, I definitely understood the reputation surrounding the beloved beverage–it’s hard not to like something that close to a milkshake–but the tapioca pearls were certainly an adjustment.

Since I had no benchmark to compare this to, I looked to my boba expert, EJ, for his opinion, to which he responded with, “a solid 7.5.” While he wasn’t impressed by the freshness of the tapioca, the tea itself was high quality and flavorful.

After another 10 minutes or so, the food arrived and EJ and I dug in. While the “Shake Shack fries” were nowhere near Shake Shack’s iconic crinkle-cut staples, (leaving me confused about the title), they were still very good. The portion of spicy popcorn chicken was huge, cooked and seasoned to perfection and spicy enough to have me hunting down my milk tea with some urgency.

While getting ready to leave after our half-hour feast, EJ and I noticed what might be the best part of this new spot–its hours. CAFFE:iN is open until 11 p.m. Sunday - Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, making it the perfect spot for some late-night munchies when Taco Bell and Jack in the Box just won’t cut it.

CAFFE:iN was a great first boba experience, and I hope to return to its surprising list of enticing food options soon.